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Nachiket Nolefam
Guest
Who will win in the semis
Nadal>>>>>Federer
Professional
Nadal 6-4 6-3
Murrayfan31
Hall of Fame
Not enough Djokovic/Nadal threads. Must make another.
Djokovic_is_the_best#1
Bionic Poster
I don't think we seen the real Djokovic yet in this tournament. I think he will show up on Saturday. I admit if he doesn't Nadal will win and he played the better of two so far. However, we all know Djoko well, the closer it gets to the prize he can move through the gears. He showed signs at times of that against bird man. If he does Nole will win. I think he might rise to occasion when it matters.
xan
Hall of Fame
only one i see.
N
Nathaniel_Near
Guest
Djokovic in 3 sets; Nadal to fire a very clear warning shot to the whole tour.
N
Nachiket Nolefam
Guest
Thats why I think Djokovic in 2. He will be aware of that.
Meles
Bionic Poster
I had to vote Nadal in 3, though I think taking Djoko to 3 sets would be a great achievement. Nole looks a little sleepy this tournament and despite nachiket's feelings on the matter, its still going to be hard to get fully motivated especially given how badly he destroyed Nadal at the Exho and China Open just a while ago. Nole has completely dominated Rafa since the 2013 US Open final. Hopefully Rafa catches him sleeping. Nadal has been steadily upping his level much like a French Open run and its entirely possible that a very close facsimile to 2013 US Open Rafa shows up. That would be rough for Nole given his form this week and once Nadal gets locked into a match that is not a pretty situation to deal with.
TheGhostOfAgassi
Talk Tennis Guru
2015 is Novaks year, WTF15 is his one too
JohnnyMac Fan!
Legend
What happened to the previous thread? Was it deleted?
N
Nachiket Nolefam
Guest
I think so, didn't see any thread
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
xan
Hall of Fame
Ye, still 1 for me, ignore list and all.
tennis_commentator
Hall of Fame
I hope Djokovic will make it a competitive match, because so far nobody is good enough to compete with RAFA.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
Djokovic in three. I've been impressed by Nadal this tournament, but his level still isn't good enough to beat Novak.
Red Rick
Bionic Poster
Yeah, nobody had anticipated that Djokovic would have to improve to make it competitive
tennis_commentator
Hall of Fame
This match will pretty much decide the Australian Open.
Can you think of something that would make RAFA more confident than winning the biggest indoor hardcourt event in tennis?
I mean RAFA hasn't won an indoor hardcourt event since 2005 Madrid.
RAFA will arrive in Australia feeling like Crocodile Dundee.
sbengte
G.O.A.T.
bullzie, do you think this is Rafa's indoor prime ? Like you say clay prime was upto 2008, then 2008-2010 it was grass prime, 2010-2013 was HC prime....so keeping up with this pattern, is he in his indoor prime now ?
PrinceMoron
Legend
Gazelle
G.O.A.T.
Well that's the thing with Rafa, he can rarely last a full year without injury. He can't excell in clay season and dominate the fall, he can only shine indoors after previously sucking on clay. He's not a better player than 5 years ago, but it's the first time his yearly peak happens during the indoor season.
Whilst i have Novak slight favorite tomorrow i would not be stunned by a Rafa win.
Novak has definitely looked a bit jaded and slightly off the pace last couple of matches and if Rafa comes out
strong i think over best of 3 sets on this moderate paced looking surface he could win.
It may not actually be a bad thing for Novak as he is due an unexpected loss soon and it might just take
a wee bit of pressure off him for Australian open.
The good thing is both Rodger & Rafa are playing quite well so could be a great Aussie open in making
Novak has definitely looked a bit jaded and slightly off the pace last couple of matches and if Rafa comes out
strong i think over best of 3 sets on this moderate paced looking surface he could win.
It may not actually be a bad thing for Novak as he is due an unexpected loss soon and it might just take
a wee bit of pressure off him for Australian open.
The good thing is both Rodger & Rafa are playing quite well so could be a great Aussie open in making
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
This is the most torn I've ever been because I want Djoko to keep his final streak going until the end of 2015 (he could have ALL finals in tier 1 entered, ie 13 of them, which would be really unheard of) but I also want Rafa to (finally) win WTF (he would be the only one with Agassi to hold the 4 slams, Olympic gold AND wtf).
I guess the worst case scenario for me would be Rafa making the final (ending Nole's streak) and then not making the finish line ( a la Djoko in RG). So no matter what happens, I hope it won't come to that! Once this year is more than enough for my taste.
I guess the worst case scenario for me would be Rafa making the final (ending Nole's streak) and then not making the finish line ( a la Djoko in RG). So no matter what happens, I hope it won't come to that! Once this year is more than enough for my taste.
TheGhostOfAgassi
Talk Tennis Guru
I prefer Rafa over Novak but I see it as you. The looser of this match will have less pressure for AO. So I kind of would like Rafa to loose tomorrow so he still is the great underdog that no one believes can take it.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
Novak owns the AO, Nadal has won it once and never will again. He can feel like Crocodile Dundee all he wants, his chances against Novak at the AO are about 5%.
Whether Nadal beats Nole tomorrow or not will have almost no bearing on what happens in late January. I would argue that if Nadal somehow beats Novak, then Djokovic will re-double his training and efforts towards defending his AO title.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
if Nadal wins then he will also win the Grand slam next year
dadadas
Semi-Pro
That "if" is unlikely though.
tennis_commentator
Hall of Fame
YES.
tennis_commentator
Hall of Fame
Dj needed 6 hours to beat RAFA at the AO, and that was when Dj was on a 3 slam winning streak over RAFA, so i don't think Dj is very good vs RAFA at the AO.
dadadas
Semi-Pro
Gary Duane
G.O.A.T.
It was just a couple years ago when Rafa lost the AO to Wawrinka. The year before, 2013, he was expected to play well all year because of his injury in 2012.
I don't know why anyone would count him out on a slow HC with a fairly high bounce. I'm not saying I think he is going to win in 2016, just saying that when Rafa does reasonably well in the indoor HC season, it is not wise to underestimate him at the AO.
I don't know why anyone would count him out on a slow HC with a fairly high bounce. I'm not saying I think he is going to win in 2016, just saying that when Rafa does reasonably well in the indoor HC season, it is not wise to underestimate him at the AO.
dadadas
Semi-Pro
I've heard that Rafa is gonna change his racquet after this season ends. Don't know if its gonna be better for him at AO
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
Popcorn? Check
Bowl? Check
Bowl? Check
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Djokovic in 2
Gary Duane
G.O.A.T.
He experimented with that last year and said he got more power but had trouble controlling it. If he makes a change to something that gives him more power I don't think that will be bad, but adapting to a new racket takes a few months. I think it took Fed about a year to get used to his new racket. So yes, if he makes a change before the AO, that would be very bad for that slam.
C
Chadillac
Guest
Djok is going balls deep tomorrow, nadal picking his butt should make you feel sorrow. His ass is still red from fed, he is claiming nadals head. Id hate to be nadals starfish, it has inherited a death wish.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
C
Chadillac
Guest
I'll be ready to hit in a few weeksgo easy on me.
Weather is getting really nice now, let me know when your on my side.
tennis_commentator
Hall of Fame
That Basel final vs Federer gave RAFA more confidence than anything else this year.
Federer led RAFA was 4-1 on indoor hardcourt before that Basel final. Federer won, extended it to 5-1, but the fact RAFA got to 3-3 in final set (despite virtually no crowd support) made it clear that RAFA has everything necessary to beat Federer if they meet in London (RAFA already beat Federer at 2013 London actually, but it wasn't a great standard).
And imagine how much confidence RAFA will go into the final with this time (beating Dj is RAFA's biggest challenge this year)!
C
Chadillac
Guest
Is this irony?
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